The present invention relates generally to support apparatus for medical instruments and, more particularly, to instrument support trays which are adjustable relative to a patient during certain diagnostic procedures. The present invention has a particular but by no means exclusive relation to urological diagnostic procedures wherein instruments must be supported beneath the patient while a urologist conducts the procedure.
In one urological procedure known as an excretion urogram, a female patient is placed on a voiding stool either attached to or associated with a urological table whereby a real-time radiographic view of the patient's urinary tract is displayed on an imaging system. The patient is given contrast media intravenously, such as saline or radiopaque material, and a radiograph of the patient's lower bladder and urethral areas is taken while the patient excretes the contrast media. In this way, the urologist is provided with important information about the structure and function of the patient's kidney, ureter and bladder from the radiographic display associated with the urological table's imaging system.
It will be appreciated that as the urologist images the patient's urinary tract during the excretion urogram procedure, it is often necessary to move the patient both vertically and horizontally relative to the radiographic system. This is accomplished through electro-mechanical movement of the urological table and the associated voiding stool supporting the patient. As the excretion urogram is taking place, the urologist must typically support certain instruments beneath the patient which aid the urologist in the diagnostic procedure. Such instruments may include beakers, load scales or flow meters, for example, which provide the urologist means to check the patient's urinary volume, pressure, flow rate and duration. After the procedure is completed, a drain pan is placed beneath the patient to permit complete voiding of the patient's bladder.
In the past, such instruments and drain pans have been supported on a small foot stool, for example, which is then moved beneath the patient during the procedure. In another well known practice, a moveable intravenous (IV) stand on wheels is provided with a cantilevered tray for supporting the urological instruments beneath the patient. However, as the patient is moved on the voiding stool via the urological table, for example, the foot stools and IV stands of current instrument support practice do not move coextensively with the patient's movement. As such, the foot stools and IV stands must be continuously adjusted beneath the patient as the patient is moved during the imaging procedure.
It will further be appreciated that hospital operating rooms wherein such urological procedures take place are generally small and crowded with equipment. Thus, it is desirable to eliminate as many items in the operating room as possible where space is typically at a premium. The foot stools and IV stands, on the other hand, are additional equipment which tend to clutter the operating room and are generally difficult to move within the room due to electrical cords running along the floor. Furthermore, the foot stools cannot be vertically adjusted relative to the patient to minimize spacing between the patient and the instruments. Additionally, the IV stand may compromise the patient's safety if the patient is lowered on the voiding stool without lowering the IV stand's instrument support tray at the same time.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved instrument support apparatus which moves coextensively with the patient during an excretion urogram procedure and which is vertically adjustable beneath the patient to minimize spacing between the patient and the instruments.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide such an instrument support apparatus which has a predetermined degree of rotation relative to the voiding stool.
Still yet another objective of the present invention is to provide such an instrument support apparatus which is engageable and disengageable with at least one extensible and retractable mounting pin of a support member.